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DraftSight

DraftSight

Overview

What is DraftSight?

DraftSight is a 2D and 3D CAD solution for architects, engineers and construction service providers, as well as professional CAD users, designers, educators and hobbyists. DraftSight lets users create, edit, view, and markup any kind of 2D and 3D DWG…

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Recent Reviews

Easy to Share

10 out of 10
December 18, 2023
Our company uses DraftSight to layout systems for our customers. This allows our customers to see a professional representation of how …
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TrustRadius Insights

DraftSight is a versatile and user-friendly 2D CAD tool that is highly valued by organizations across industries. Users find it to be a …
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DraftSight Review

9 out of 10
June 01, 2023
Handle customer graphic requirements of customers accurately and efficiently as it makes it easier to manage and share graphic files. we …
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Overpowered

10 out of 10
December 09, 2022
I have used AutoCAD for over 5 years. My company uses Draftsight as an alternative of AutoCAD sometimes. It is way less expensive with …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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DraftSight Professional

$249

On Premise
per year

DraftSight Premium (3D)

$549

On Premise
per year

DraftSight Enterprise

Contact sales team

On Premise

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttp://www.draftsight.com/BuyProfession…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Demos

DraftSight Demo Video

YouTube

DraftSight Demo (Engelsk)

YouTube

3DEXPERIENCE DraftSight Demo

YouTube
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Product Details

What is DraftSight?

DraftSight is a 2D and 3D CAD solution for architects, engineers and construction service providers, as well as professional CAD users, designers, educators and hobbyists. DraftSight lets users create, edit, view, and markup any kind of 2D and 3D DWG file with greater ease, speed, and efficiency. Its familiar user interface helps to facilitate a quick transition from other CAD applications.

DraftSight Offerings:
  • DraftSight Professional: the advanced 2D CAD drafting solution with time-saving functionalities and an API to help bring designs to life quickly and easily. Ideal for companies, individuals and designers.
  • DraftSight Premium (3D): a robust 2D drafting and 3D design experience with full 3D capabilities and constraints features to help meet any drafting, modeling, prototyping, manufacturing, laser cutting and 3D printing needs. Created for individuals, designers, companies, manufacturers and makers.
  • DraftSight Enterprise and Enterprise Plus: a comprehensive 2D drafting and 3D design solution created to meet various drafting, modeling, prototyping, manufacturing, laser cutting, and 3D printing requirements. Designed for large organizations with many users or multiple sites.

DraftSight Screenshots

Screenshot of Plate InsertScreenshot of Image TraceScreenshot of 2D and 3D DWG filesScreenshot of HomeByMe Integration

DraftSight Video

DraftSight: A Better 2D Drafting and 3D Design Experience

DraftSight Integrations

  • GEOVIA Surpac
  • SOLIDWORKS PDM
  • SOLIDWORKS Electrical
  • 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

DraftSight Competitors

DraftSight Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsWindows, Linux, Mac
Mobile ApplicationNo
Supported LanguagesEnglish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese-Brazilian, Turkish, Russian

Frequently Asked Questions

SketchUp, TurboCAD, and AutoCAD LT are common alternatives for DraftSight.

Reviewers rate Availability highest, with a score of 8.7.

The most common users of DraftSight are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(1339)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

DraftSight is a versatile and user-friendly 2D CAD tool that is highly valued by organizations across industries. Users find it to be a cost-effective solution for a wide range of design and drafting needs. It is particularly suitable for creating and exchanging files with other companies and professionals, making it an ideal choice for collaboration in the furniture industry. Design teams appreciate DraftSight's simplicity and power, as it allows them to collaborate on the creation of new products, improving speed and focus. The software has also been instrumental in various charity projects, such as designing and rebuilding a temple. Engineering departments rely on DraftSight for electrical and mechanical design, taking advantage of its performance and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, DraftSight is widely used as a replacement for AutoCAD in the transition to SolidWorks, enabling quick and easy modification of existing drawings. The software caters to a diverse range of applications, from generating geometry for CAM files to performing geometric layouts for inspection or small construction projects. It is also favored by users for build floor plan layouts, partnering with molding companies, verifying client or vendor drawings, and even creating aircraft floorplans. Users appreciate DraftSight's simplicity, power, and ability to open and edit designs of all kinds while serving as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive software options. Whether it is designing tooling or creating shop floor drawings, DraftSight proves to be reliable for daily tasks and future designs. Furthermore, drafting departments benefit from DraftSight's compatibility with common 2D file formats and its ability to handle technical aspects effectively when preparing 2D CAD drawings for customers provided by vendors. The software is also recommended for architectural projects with no issues, the design and development of engineering projects, the creation of system block diagrams and schematic development, manufacturing drawings, custom drawings conversion from Gerber data into DXF format, mechanical design layouts, die-making models, CNC programming models as well as creating and reviewing basic 2D drawings within the organization. DraftSight is highly valued for its simplicity, affordability, and compatibility with different file types, making it a perfect fit for microbusinesses and individual users. Users appreciate its efficiency in creating professional-grade detailed drawings while reducing installation problems. Moreover, DraftSight's API is utilized for extracting details from drawings and creating BOMs. Cabinet design and construction benefit from using DraftSight, leading to improved manufacturing accuracy and reduced installation issues. The software is relied upon as primary 2D CAD software for creating and

Cost-effectiveness: Many users have praised DraftSight for being an economical option compared to similar CAD software, making it a cost-effective choice for small businesses. Some reviewers have mentioned that the affordability of DraftSight played a significant role in their decision to choose it over other options.

Stability and performance: Users consistently mention that DraftSight is stable and reliable, with no crashes or technical issues. Several reviewers have specifically highlighted the software's stability, noting that they have not experienced any crashes while using it. This aspect has greatly contributed to the positive sentiment surrounding DraftSight.

Compatibility with AutoCAD: The ability of DraftSight to open both old and new DWG/DXF files has been highly appreciated by users. Many AutoCAD users feel that this feature makes the transition to DraftSight seamless and efficient. Additionally, several reviewers praise the inclusion of commonly used AutoCAD commands in DraftSight, which further enhances its compatibility with industry-standard drawing file types.

Confusing User Interface: A significant number of users have expressed frustration with DraftSight's user interface, finding it confusing and experiencing difficulties while completing tasks. They feel that the layout and organization of features could be improved to enhance usability.

Crude Text Search and Replace Function: Users have criticized the text search and replace function in DraftSight, describing it as crude and barely functional. Many users find it difficult to perform accurate searches or efficiently replace text within their documents.

Issues with Software Updates: Several users have voiced their dissatisfaction with DraftSight's update control. They claim that although updates address certain problems, new issues are introduced in later versions. This inconsistency affects user experience and undermines confidence in the software's stability.

Users have made several recommendations for DraftSight based on their experiences. The most common recommendations include shopping around for options in 2D CAD software. Users suggest exploring different options available in the market before deciding on DraftSight. This recommendation highlights the importance of evaluating different tools to find the best fit for specific needs or preferences.

Another recommendation is to utilize the free trial of DraftSight. Users recommend taking advantage of the free trial offered by DraftSight. This allows potential users to test the software's capabilities and determine if it meets their requirements before making a purchase.

Users also recommend using DraftSight for beginners, students, small businesses, and hobbyists. Several users have recommended DraftSight as an ideal choice for individuals or organizations with limited budgets or less complex drafting needs. This cost-effective solution is often suggested for beginners, students, small businesses, and hobbyists who want to perform 2D CAD tasks without investing heavily in high-end software.

These recommendations highlight the flexibility and affordability of DraftSight as an alternative to AutoCAD. Users also emphasize the importance of checking hardware requirements and testing all functionality before implementing the software. Additionally, tutorials are suggested as a time-saving resource when working with DraftSight, particularly for editing legacy DWG files. Overall, these recommendations present DraftSight as a lightweight and low-cost option comparable to other drafting software available in the market.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 414)
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Darryle Ziegler, CTS-D, CTS-I | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I often recommend DraftSight to colleagues that are struggling with other CAD programs or looking to start using CAD more in their environment.
It's easy to use and the learning time is short compared to other CAD software.
Also the transition from AutoCAD to DraftSight is very quick. For those that have used AutoCAD before, the transition is very easy because many of the functions are similar and a lot of the commands are also very similar.
The startup and processing time for actions is short and speeds up the design process.
The cost impact is also significantly less than other CAD software, this helps a lot with multiple users and our operating costs.
Sylvain Drolet | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Perfect for 2D drawing in its Standard or Professional version. When I have 3D drawing to do, I will compare DraftSight with Sketchup which I currently use for 3D and which is suitable for my personal needs.
Scott Gold | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It is very useful for opening and working with DWG files created by others. It does a better job handling such files than some other programs I've used. Creating tabbed views with viewports takes some effort. This is as much a learning curve issue as it is a weakness in the program.
Paul Karnopp, PE | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We put it through its paces with our drawings and it works fine. We do a lot of wiring diagrams and industrial control panel layout drawings, so we use a lot of its 2D capabilities. I would not use it in a multi-user environment where you have multiple designers working on one project at a time. This software makes no provisions for allowing multiple users to work at the same time on the same drawing and has no native version control. And because of their poor software control, DraftSight many times put out versions that are "crashy", which would make a lot of people very unproductive very quickly. I would look at other products for larger projects like that.
Mark Horton | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 4 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
If you are working on an urgent drawing at the time of annual license renewal forget it! the program will lock up and no one will respond to assist you. Even if you leave a message stating the urgency of the situation, no one will respond! You have paid for something that you are then locked out of when you need it and have people waiting on drawings.
May 31, 2023

It works good!

Arthur C Gagnon | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
It's well suited for users who need Autocad, but don't want to pay Autocad's exorbitant prices. It is no longer well suited for small maker spaces with limited budgets due to there being no free option. Also, DraftSight should also be part of any Solidworks package in order to make maintaining the subscription easier.
December 09, 2022

Overpowered

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
It is good that Draftsight is similar to AutoCAD, easy to pick up when start using Draftsight as an user of AutoCAD but sometimes Draftsight cannot read the font style of the text box from AutoCAD which leads to showing "?????". I have to input the words manually.
Uday Singh | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
The program is well suited to quickly creating detailed design drawings to scale. Because of its functionality, a smaller entity or individual designer can start with a clean slate and develop numerous arrangement and associated design drawings, export them to colleagues, receive revision requests, and implement revisions for additional review. It is less well suited, however, to provide accessible symbols and block components which can be scaled.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Part and or schematic libraries are non-existent!
I had to create all my own P&ID symbols, and then scale them to the appropriate size.
Not the easiest to create electrical schematics. It works okay, but lacking features specific to schematics.
Well suited for piping drawings and general mechanical layout.

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Most of what we do is 2D. DraftSight is an excellent 2D software to replace the over-priced AutoCAD. 3D, however, is a lacking a bit and cumbersome but not used very often in our organization. I am yet to experience any BIM coordination and am curious of how well DraftSight will handle that.
Daryl Garner-Savory | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
DraftSight is extremely easy to use to modify drawings for laser cutting, engraving, and proofing designs and ideas. Price is a deciding factor for an individual or business, and with all that is available, easy of use is key. I have found many free or cheap CAD packages out there but none is as close to the AutoCAD benchmark as DraftSight. The price point is great--it was better free but what I’m paying is reasonable--however I do find the lack of basic 3D/isometric drawing and rendering a bit of a pain. Now I need to do isometric drawings manually, but this is not the end of the world for me, as I don’t do too much of this in my work environment these days.
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
The software doesn't work. They release a version that was broken and I used the free trial of that version. I ran it on an i7, 16GB RAM, and RTX30 series (powerful computer) but the application was crashing constantly. I lost unsaved work and wasted hours restarting the application, which did cost me a few hundred dollars on billable hours. I sent errors logs, which helped them to identify the issue that they claimed is now resolved in DraftSight 2022 SP1. Technical support seems to be overseas with broken English and difficulty reading English. After 14 days, they said there is a hotfix "DraftSight memory saturation hotfix" that could solve the problem. I asked for a trial license to try the fix but it was declined. Ask pratiksha.dahotre and gayatri.keskar for details. In summary, they released a broken version, which I helped to fix by providing feedback and error logs. They claimed it is fixed but I can't test it.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use it in architectural design--both for the design phase and for the compilation of all official documents that I have to send to the public administration to obtain building permits. Its very simple interface allows me to work quickly without wasting time. Its compatibility with other CADs allows me to interface with other users who use other programs.
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